This invention relates in general to bulk material moving devices, and in particular to an electrically powered snow thrower.
One type of apparatus for removing snow from sidewalks and driveways is a manually operated, electrically powered device. This type of device has a housing that contains a motor and an impeller. The electrical motor drives the impeller to draw in and discharge snow out a chute. The housing rests on the ground and is moved by the user with a long tubular handle. A handgrip and trigger is located at the upper and rearward end of the handle.
This type of device is designed to be operated by pushing and pulling the device. With each push, a few inches of snow will be removed by the device. In deep snow it would be helpful to use the device as a shovel, instead of pushing and pulling. The user grasps the handle with one hand near the housing and operates the trigger with the other hand. Then he swings the device upwardly and downwardly to remove snow. Shovelling movement would be helpful particularly for removing drifts of snow thrown onto one's driveway by a street snowplow.
While a conventional snow thrower might be used by some in a shovelling movement, this manipulation is awkward. Conventional throwers of this type have a single motor control trigger located on a portion of the upper handgrip that depends downwardly from the upper end of the shaft. This positioning enables the user to pull the trigger while he is grasping the handgrip and pushing or pulling the device. It is difficult, however, to manipulate the trigger while using the device as a shovel, since the trigger is located on a portion of the handgrip that is transverse to the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,360, issued to Robert F. Green on Oct. 29, 1974, shows dual triggers for controlling the engine of a chain saw. One trigger is used for starting and the other for sawing operation.